


Always There For You

by Quilna



Category: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-19
Updated: 2019-10-19
Packaged: 2020-11-25 23:24:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20920367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quilna/pseuds/Quilna
Summary: Despite what everyone thought, Henry Jekyll wasn't dead. Edward knew it every time he saw an old friend of Jekyll's. It started with an ache in his chest and nerves in his stomach and ended with him angrily mopping up his own tears before anyone noticed. No. No matter how much Edward tried, he couldn't rid himself of his past self.In which Hyde and Utterson meet in an alleyway and Edward struggles with his emotions.





	Always There For You

Despite what everyone thought, Henry Jekyll wasn't dead. Edward knew it every time he saw an old friend of Jekyll's. It started with an ache in his chest and nerves in his stomach and ended with him angrily mopping up his own tears before anyone noticed. No. No matter how much Edward tried, he couldn't rid himself of his past self.

He trudged through the alley, pondering his situation. The moon cast long shadows over the ground and it was difficult to tell where he was stepping in the inky darkness. The dull clatter of his shoes against cobbles rang out in the silence, making Hyde wince every time - He didn't think anyone was out at that time but, considering what had happened to Danvers only recently, he would be in a lot of trouble if anyone heard him.

Edward stopped to gaze upwards at the stars, counting and recounting them in an attempt to focus his mind to something a little more logical - more Jekyll. Lanyon had cut off all ties with him so he wasn't an option anymore. Utterson didn't know who he was and, without the potion, he couldn't prove anything concrete. It _was _a pretty unbelievable story. Hyde snarled, seized by a fit of despair and anger. His stupid potion had worked for years and now it just decided to up and ruin him?! Snatching up a bottle from the ground, he pulled back his arm and threw it as hard as he could. He flinched at the noise as it shattered, a million pieces of clear glass scattered about his feet, one scratching his leg as it flew past.

He glanced around to check that nobody was coming to check out the commotion and scampered down the alley, away from the scene. He stopped when he was sure he was far enough and started to walk again, keeping a close eye out for anyone who might have heard the commotion.

At that moment, his eye caught on something glinting in the moonlight. A bitter feeling welled up inside him as he recognized what it was and he approached it.

Standing there, tall and shining, rimmed in rusty metal, was a mirror. It felt like the universe was mocking him. Standing in the mirror, staring back at him, was the face of Henry Jekyll. It was a hallucination, obviously, but it drove a sharp pain through his heart to stare into the face of the life he had lost. It was noticable that Hyde had grown over the past month. Whereas before he could barely stand up to Jekyll's shoulder, they now faced eye-to-eye and he could clearly see the misery in those maroon eyes. Jekyll's usually pristine hair was a mess, pricking up in every direction, and heavy purpleish rings hung under his eyes - testament to several days of lost sleep. His clothes, Hyde's clothes, were crinkled, torn and splattered with wet blood as though Danvers had been killed only moments ago. The blood dripped onto the ground in a steady rhythm, pooling around Jekyll's feet and shimmering like a mirage in the moonlight. Jekyll's face had a haunted look to it, pale and hollow-eyed, and Hyde wondered whether he looked anything like that or whether it was just part of the hallucination. It was a mockery to him and he only just wrestled his rage back into check, narrowly avoiding punching the mirror with his bare fist.

Instead, the familar prick of tears began in his eyes. Usually he would fight them back but now he just wept. He collapsed to the floor, pressing his face into his thin, knobbled knees and hugging his legs. It was childish, he knew, but he couldn't find it in himself to care. He had lost everything and he felt that, if there was ever a reason to cry, this was it. Could he go back home? The servants all thought Jekyll was dead but could he convince them otherwise? Could he go back and finally finish the antidote for his potion? No. It had been too long since Jekyll had gone missing. They would never believe him without looking at his face and he couldn't do that. 

_Click._

His sobs subsided almost immediately as his mind registered the noise. His eyes flicked open and, slowly, he turned to face the noise.

He was staring down the barrel of a gun.

On the other side of the gun, a determined expression on his face, was Utterson. Hyde gritted his teeth in a snarl.

For a moment, nobody spoke.

"...Hyde." Utterson said at last, his voice dangerously calm.

"Utterson." Hyde drew out the word mockingly, ignoring the pain from seeing his friend again. "Great to see you again. How's your job going?"

"Where's Jekyll?"

"Cutting straight to the chase, are we?" Hyde moved to stand. Utterson paled and shook the gun, making certain that Hyde knew it was there. Hyde snorted. The actions of a man panicked, huh?

"Stay right there!" Utterson snapped, "Move and I'll shoot!"

"No you won't" He said smugly, standing up, "Kill me and you'll never see Henry again."

"You've probably killed him already."

"If you believe that then why did you let me move?"

Utterson faltered and then, after a worried pause, "...Is he ok?"

"He's unhappy but I'm sure you guessed that already. Physically? He's fine. For now."

"What do you plan to do with him?"

"Keep him. If I get arrested, Henry doesn't get fed and he starves to death. I guess..." Hyde shot him a sly look, "I guess that means you have to protect me from the police... Well. Unless you don't really like Jekyll."

Gabriel was shaking with rage, his face flushed, "How dare you."

"I know, I know. I'm terrible and a murderer, moving on. Are you going to let me go or what?"

"If you think I'm going to let you go after everything you've done..."

"What are you going to do, huh? Shoot me? Turn me in? You'll be killing your friend. Directly or indirectly, it'll still make you your best friend's murderer. Face it. You can't do a thing to stop me."

"And if I don't, you'll kill him anyway when you don't need him anymore."

"You can't be certain of that."

Shaking, Utterson lowered the gun. There were tears on his face and Hyde once again felt that old part of him stir like a waking beast. If only feelings alone would allow him to change back.

"I'm glad you've seen sense," Hyde said cooly as he strolled past, "If you're lucky, maybe you'll see your dear Henry again soon."

"I hope you burn in hell." Growled Utterson. It was the most hateful thing Hyde had ever heard come from the lawyer's mouth and caused him to hesitate.

"Do you really care about Henry that much?"

It was a stupid question, he knew, but... But a part of him wanted to know.

"...He's my best friend." Utterson glowered at Hyde. "I don't suppose you would know what that feels like."

"Ouch. Low blow, Utterson." Hyde turned away, hiding the tears beginning to form in his eyes.

"...Why were you crying?"

"Hmm?" Hyde didn't turn back around, struggling to keep his voice steady. "I didn't realize you cared."

"...I don't." When there was no response from Hyde, the lawyer continued, "It's just... Out of character for you."

Hyde was trembling and he cursed Henry for being so weak. "You mean I'm not the sort to have regrets?"

His voice cracked and he winced. He knew Utterson had noticed so he made to leave. A hand grabbed his arm and whirled him around to face his old friend. In that moment, Hyde's flushed, tear-streaked face was exposed for all to see under the soft glow of the moonlight. Gabriel's hard expression softened in surprise.

"What..?" The voice was barely a whisper. Gabriel blinked, shaking his head as though he was simply seeing things. It was startling to see Hyde in such a condition and he could barely believe his own eyes. The shorter man had always seemed so inhumanly wicked and confident before and, somehow, Utterson had never considered him even capable of feelings before.

For the first time since meeting him, Gabriel finally saw him as a person.

"Get off me!" Hyde snapped, trying to wrench his arm free.

Utterson was struck by a memory of seeing Henry, a day after a harsh break-up, sobbing in his bed.

His friend, only a teenager at the time, had been curled up in a ball, arms covering his face as he whimpered.

_"Leave me alone!" Henry snapped at Utterson, throwing a pillow at him. The pillow bounced off harmlessly and Gabriel didn't even flinch.  
_

_"...Jekyll..."_

_Another pillow was thrown, flying over Gabriel's head. He didn't even know what to say to soothe his friend and he hated the overwhelming feeling of helplessness. Finally, he walked over to Jekyll and perched himself on the end of the bed._

_"Go away!" The voice was muffled, cracked and shaken by grief._

_"She didn't deserve you anyway." Utterson said simply, ignoring Jekyll's cruel words, "Someday, you'll find someone better, I promise."_

_Jekyll's fury had subsided into miserable, self-pitying sobs and, not saying a word, Utterson had stayed right there until Jekyll had finally gone silent.  
_

Why was he recalling this now? The man in front of him was nothing like Jekyll and yet seeing his face brought only memories of his old, possibly dead, friend.

Hyde continued to try to free himself but Utterson didn't move, not tightening his grip and neither loosening it. He watched as Hyde tired himself out, finally subsiding to, instead, glare at the lawyer spitefully. It was strange to see Hyde in such a state - so similar to Henry. Heck, even his glare had the same glint of determination in it that he had seen so often in the eye of his friend. Maybe that was why he finally let go. Hyde, stood for a second, surprised by the sudden freedom, before sprinting off down the alley without a glance back.

When he was far enough away, Hyde paused. He didn't turn around but his voice rang clear in the night. "For what it's worth, Utterson, I hope you see Henry again soon."

And he was gone.

Utterson was left to ponder the meaning behind Hyde's words as he turned and left, heading back home feeling, for some strange reason, less worried for his friend's life.


End file.
